With prior announcement by means of a newspaper interview with Mark Henderson
published on Saturday, Quail Springs conducted its first Sunday service with
instrumental music on January 27, 2008.

In a statement read to the congregation that morning and posted on the
congregationís website, Henderson termed the move Spirit-led.

In protest, more than 300 members left the congregation.

Evaluation:
Why did three hundred Christians leave?

Churches of Christ view the New Covenant as normative. They speak as the oracles of God (1 Peter 4:11), learn not
to go beyond what is written (1 Corinthians 4:6), do not preach a different gospel (Galatians 1:6-9) and abide in the
doctrine of Christ (2 John 9). This enables them to be churches of Christ rather than a denomination. Denominations do
not limit themselves to what is prescribed by the New Covenant.

This principle was stated well in the Articles of Incorporation of Quail Springs. Churches of Christ, in all their work,
worship, and teaching, use and employ only that which is authorized and required in the New Testament.

A congregation that uses instrumental music violates this principle because - different from the Old Testament - the
New Testament does not prescribe instrumental worship.

Singing is the only authorized music under the New Covenant. This cannot be denied and explains why instrumental
music was not used for a thousand years after Christ! Instrumental music is not a cappella music, it is not the music of
the church!

Christians are commanded to sing, teach, admonish and speak to one another
in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs
(Ephesians 5:19; Colossians 3:16).
Singing is understandable melodious speech. It communicates meaning, it teaches, it admonishes. Mechanical
instruments do not. That is why Paul says, I will also sing with the understanding (1 Corinthians 14:15).

The assemblies at Corinth were disorderly. People were speaking in languages no one understood, and several people
spoke at the same time.
In dealing with this problem, Paul emphasizes an important principle: Public worship must be understandable and
edifying!

Unless you utter by the tongue words easy to understand, how will it be known what is spoken? For you will be
speaking into the air (1 Corinthians 14:9). In the church I would rather speak five words with my understanding, that I
may teach others also, than ten thousand words in a tongue (1 Corinthians 14:19).

He says the same about singing: I will sing with the spirit, and I will also sing with the understanding (1
Corinthians 14:15).
Paul wanted to speak with understanding so others could be taught. Thus, to sing with understanding means to sing in
such a way that people understand the words and are edified.
Let all things be done for edification (1 Corinthians 14:26). Sounds without meaning do not edify. Edification is a
building up, an increase in insight resulting from instruction.

Through this Scripture, God excludes meaningless sounds from the Christian assembly. Sounds without meaningful
content do not edify.
This explains why God omitted music instruments from Christian worship. Music instruments are neither spiritual nor
intelligible, they do not give instruction.

Paul compares someone without love to music instruments: Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but
have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal (1 Corinthians 13:1).
Sounding brass and clanging cymbals were used in the Old Testament (2 Chronicles 29:25, 26), but lifeless instruments
are not suitable for worship in spirit and truth under the New Covenant.

God's requirement: Let all things be done for edification (1 Corinthians 14:26), and the related condemnation of
meaningless sounds, also preclude hand-clapping and the imitation of instruments with the voice. Such body and throat
noises are not spiritual and do not have meaningful content.

Christians use the voices God has given them to sing with the spirit and with the understanding. They do not pollute
their worship with sounds devoid of meaning.
Roy Davison